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I have for several years watched various “sword youtubers” these are channels that deal with swords and armor, mostly of the medieval period. But I later found some that also deal with later weapons, particularly military swords, this is a category that deal with mass produced swords for military purposes from about late 17th century and into the 20th century.
The type of swords still available in quite som numbers as antiques.
Both the earlier youtube channels and the later ones are often connected to HEMA(Historical European Marital Arts) a martial arts that tries to recreate martial combat practices, main focus is various sword disciplines, but also pole arms, axes etc.
Anything before the 14th century is mostly conjecture as the first treaties only show up then.
So there are spirited debates of just how you use a viking sword, there are several perfectly effective and plausible techniques. But we’ll never know.
As you reach later medieval period you get more complete works, enough to differentiate between Italian longsword and German longsword.
Then as the renaissance shows up to suddenly get quite many complete, treatises from named masters, sword and buckler and particularly rapier that would dominate fencing for 150 years. As the rapier fall out of practice you get small sword, and military weapons.
As napoleonic and 18th century warfare is my main periods of intrest, this is where I focused my search.
Luckily for the late 18th and early 19th century, and for those with a fancy for British military, you have the British military saber system, that covers saber, broadsword and Spadroon.
Now the question was how to do it, I looked for reproductions of swords but while you can get good quality medieval swords or rapiers. Military reproductions however are all bad, they might look the part, but because of balance they feel like iron bars.
Another option was an antique, some of they are in good shape, and doesn’t cost that much more then some reproductions.
But it was a little of out my price range for now, I’d rather save up for a finer quality antique.
After asking around, I was told to get synthetic swords from a company called blackfencer.
While the swords are made of hard nylon plastics. They have the same weight and balance of the real thing.
The parameters of the swords are based on averages of real antique swords.
So I ordered a copy of the 1796 heavy cavalry(HC) sword.
And a copy of the 1803 infantry officers saber.
The HC weighs about 950g which is a good average for the spear pointed field modified sword.
The infantry saber weighs about 750g.
After 9 weeks waiting for them to be made, and 2 weeks shipping time, I got them on Wednesday.
Me trying to hold a “outside hanging guard” with the HC
Holding that position for any period of time is very tiring.
Same sword with regular outside guard.
The footwork is not existent as I got some knee problems this week.
The infantry saber in a rather bad inside guard.
Yesterday I did my first proper practice with them a total of 40 minutes. Mostly trying to get a hang of the “six cut cutting drill” my arms were dead tired even if I spilt up the 40 minutes in 3 sections. But surprisingly today it wasn’t my arms that were sore, but my back and ass.
With two swords I’ve lobbied the wife to learn some basics too, so we can do some partened training.
Some sparring with synthetics.
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